Improvement in smut-m ach i nes



' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. DRAKE & HEWITT.

Smut Michine.

Patentedjluly 31, 1860.

fur/67020 15 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. DRAKE & HEWITT.

Smut Machine. No. 29,367. Patented July 31,1860.

n PETERS. n. mun mph: w hng! n d UNITE STATES LOCKWOOD DRAKE AND ELIASHEWITT, OF MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.

BMPROVEMENT IN SMUT-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 29,367, dated July 31,1860.

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, LooKwooD DRAKE and ELIAS HEWITT, both of the cityof Marshall, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Smut-Machines for CleaningGrain; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the con struction and operation of the same,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view; Fig. 2, avertical transverse section in the line m,- Fig. 3, a verticallongitudinal section in line :0 00; Fig. 4, a plan ofa beater wingdetached.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

This improvement relates more particularly to that class of smut-millsof which Luther B. \Valker (whose patent expired in 1853) was the maininventor; and it consists of the use of an auxiliary suction-blast, bymeans of which the lighter particles of foreign matter are drawn off inadvance of the wheat through a peculiarly-formed passage which connectsthe interior of the scouring-cylinder or concave with the interior of anindependent blower-case; also, of an improved construction of the spirallips of the beater-wings and the use of an additional dropping-board inthe main fanning-mill, the whole being constructed and arrangedrelatively, as hereinafter to be described, for the better and moreeffectual separation and removal of all impure foreign matter from wheator other grain.

To enable those skilled in the art the better to construct and use ourinvention, we will now proceed to describe the same, briefly advertingto such parts as are common and well known in this class of machines.

A represents the frame, and B the hopper, through which the grain isadmitted to the interior of the perforated scouring-cylinder or concaveC, usually constructed of wroughtiron plate. The hopper is connected orcast to the flange of a circular head, D, which flange is grooved orlipped on the edge to receive and confine the cylinder, apertures beingmade through the fiat part or end for the admission of air totheinterior. The oppositehead, E, is not perforated in this manner, buthas an open ing, a, at the bottom, through which the grain is dischargedinto the fanningunill proper.

(Marked F.) The upper half of the head E is also provided with twosemicircular plates, which project forward parallel and-concentric withthe cylinder 0, as seen at G and H, Figs. 2 and 3. The outer plate, G,is gradually enlarged in radius in a dome-shaped manner, so as to form asemi-annular passage, 0, extending from the upper half of the cylindersperiphery to the interior of the blower-easel, which contains a fanmarked F", as more clearly exhibited in Fig. 1 through the brokencasing. The fan F being designed to produce what is termed asuction-blast, the wings are set, therefore, at a proper angle and havetheir outer corners bent tangentially in a slightly-spiral form.

J represents the discharge-spout, (broken off,) which extends usually tothe outside of the mill, for conveying away the foreign substancesejected by the fan.

The beaters b b b, &c., (usually eight in number,) do not differ fromthose in common use, excepting in the mode of forming the curved lips ontheir outer edges, between which the grain is conveyed through theconcave O. The common and most convenient mode of ranging them is toattach one straight and one bent beater to each side of a four-squareshaft; but as this plan does not produce radial lines it follows thatthe curved lips, formed in a straight edge, (as is the common practice,)are at unequal distances from the concave, by which defect the scouringaction is much impaired. In order to remedy this defect, and yet retainthe convenient mode just described of connecting and ranging theheaters, we first prepare the beater-wings in the manner as seen in Fig.4, by cutting out a portion of the metal on one side of each slit ofsuch a depth and curvature that when the corners or lips are bent inopposite directions to the required form the edges thereof will beequidistant in every part from the concave surface of the cylinder.

The shaft S runs in bearings (Z d, one ofwhich (being covered by thesemicircular casing) is easily lubricated through a tube, t, and isdriven by a belt on the pulley P, which gives motion to the heaters andfan F and another belt, (see dotted lines,) passing from pulley P underthe upper girt to pulley P gives motion to the fan F.

In the ordinary fan'case attached to this kind of machine the grainafter being scoured is discharged at a by the single chute e on thedeflecting-board g. This arrangement is defective, for the reason thatthe grain passes the single wind-space in so compact a state that it isnot completely subjected to the action-of the fan. To remedy this, weintroduce the intermediate dropping-board, f, at a proper descendingangle, leaving a clear space of several inches between it and the boardseand g, in order that the grain as it passes the first space may bescattered broadcast over the surface offand be presented to the blast ina more diffused state as it drops through the lower wind-space.

The general operation is as follows: Motion having been given, asdescribed, to the heaters and fans, the grain is delivered through thehopper B into the cylinder 0, where it is effectually scoured by saidheaters during its pasage. The dust and lighter particles disengagedfrom the grain by this scouring process are by the strong blast producedby the fan F carried up in the direction of the arrows, through thesemi-annular passage 0, into the blower-case I, and are driven outthrough the spout J into the open air. The grain is thus comparativelyclean when it arrives at the opening a, through which it falls over thechute e, and is then submitted to the action of the fan-blower F, whichejects all the heavier foreign matter through the passage h as it passesover the intermediate wind-board,f, to

the deflecting-board g, from which it falls into the garner atj in aproper state for grinding. The auxiliary fan-blower F and passage 0 arenot designed for the mere purpose alone of removing the light trashproduced by the scouring process, for several other smut-mills of adifferent construction have the same device, which will no doubt answerequally well for that single object; but this device as applied isintended, in addition, to absorb the vortex of wind produced by thehorizontal revolving beaters, which has hitherto materially injured theefficacy of single fan-blowers that are attached to machines of thisparticular construction.

WVe do not claim subjecting the grain to the operation of a fan-blastwhile being secured, as such an auxiliary is used in several machineswhich work under different conditions from ours. Neither do we claim,broadly, the scouring and separating devices, which are old; but

WVhat we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The use of the auxiliary fan-blower F", in combination with thesemi-annular passage 0, when applied substantially in the manner and forthe purposes herein described.

LOOKWTOOD DRAKE. ELIAS HEWITT. Vitnesses:

AMos HEWITT, GEORGE .ToHNsoN.

